Signature · 4 LILA tracts (36.4% of tracts)
Jefferson County, IL
Jefferson County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (36.4% of the book) alongside 26.3% low-access.
- 26.3%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 17.1%
- on SNAP
- 37K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Jefferson County, IL
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 26.3% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +4.2 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 17.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 36% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Winnebago County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Jefferson County ranks #1,197 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #39 of 102 counties in IL (26.3% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,197
- national by low-access %
- #39
- in IL
- 7
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- food-desert residents
Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA).
Signature read: 4 LILA tracts (36.4% of tracts) .
How Jefferson County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Jefferson County's 26.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 62% of them and ranked #1,197 most-affected nationwide.
Jefferson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
11 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
Jefferson County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (6 urban, 5 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 5 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Jefferson County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Knox
Knox 26.9%
26.9 % low-access
- LaSalle 26.5
LaSalle 26.5%
26.5 % low-access
- Winnebago 26.4
Winnebago 26.4%
26.4 % low-access
- Jefferson 26.3
Jefferson 26.3%
26.3 % low-access
- Logan 26
Logan 26%
26 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 11 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 38,827 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 7 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 10,216 |
| Low-Access Share | 26.3%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,761 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 36,550 |
| Median Household Income | $63,118 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.5%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,537 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 17.1%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.1% |
Thick SNAP store book in Jefferson County
Jefferson County has 40 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 23 locations (57% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
9 towns share the 40 authorized stores; Mount Vernon holds 73% of them. 8 of the 9 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Ina, Dix, Bluford, Bonnie, Mt Vernon, Mt. Vernon and 2 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon | 29 | 3 |
| Ina | 3 | none |
| Dix | 2 | none |
| Bluford | 1 | none |
| Bonnie | 1 | none |
| Mt Vernon | 1 | none |
| Mt. Vernon | 1 | none |
| Waltonville | 1 | none |
| Woodlawn | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 23
- casey's general store 2154, mount vernon
- casey's general store 2167, mount vernon
- casey's general store 2942, mount vernon
- circle k 145, mount vernon
- circle k 4701209, mount vernon
- circle k 4701333, mount vernon
- circle k 4701334, mount vernon
- huck's 134, mount vernon
- huck's 259, mount vernon
- huck's 349, mount vernon
- huck's 371, mount vernon
- huck's 51, mount vernon
- jamjoeys, dix
- love's travel stop 824, mt. vernon
- love's travel stops 318, ina
- mach 1 14, mount vernon
- midway liquor & tobacco, mount vernon
- pilot travel center 482, mount vernon
- quiktrip 7190, mt vernon
- spartanville fueling station, waltonville
- speedway 7423, ina
- sun liquors inc, mount vernon
- ta mt vernon 43, mount vernon
Combination Grocery/Other · 13
- cvs/pharmacy 6370, mount vernon
- dollar general 18470, bluford
- dollar general 18618, ina
- dollar general 8985, mount vernon
- dollar general 9780, mount vernon
- dollar tree 3409, mount vernon
- dollar general 14896, mount vernon
- dollar general 21856, mount vernon
- dollar general 24222, woodlawn
- dollar general 25292, bonnie
- dollar general 3860, mount vernon
- dollar general store 17330, dix
- walgreens 02876, mount vernon
Super Store · 2
- kroger l-711, mount vernon
- walmart supercenter #224 00224, mount vernon
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- king city meat market, mount vernon
Supermarket · 1
- aldi 41091 41091, mount vernon
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Illinois
One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.
Compare Jefferson County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Nationwide peers for Jefferson County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Jefferson County, both outside Illinois so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IL (26.3% here).
- Terrebonne Parish, LA · 26.3% low-access
- Cascade County, MT · 26.3% low-access
- Eastland County, TX · 26.3% low-access
- Spalding County, GA · 26.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (17.1% here).
- Jeff Davis County, GA · 17.1% SNAP
- Gilchrist County, FL · 17.1% SNAP
- Pike County, AL · 17.1% SNAP
- Sullivan County, NY · 17.1% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Illinois among East North Central states
Illinois ranks 5th of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (20.2%). Jefferson County, at 26.3%, runs 6.1 pts above the Illinois rate.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Jefferson County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17081. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.